They say, "Like father, like son" or "like mother, like daughter." If you are a child of God, can you say that about your relationship with your Heavenly Father? Do your spiritual qualities illustrate that you are your Father's child?
Yahweh God's Word informs us that whoever "doesn't do righteousness is not of God" because God is righteous (1 John 3:10, WEB). All "unrighteousness is sin," and one who is born of God does not and cannot commit sin because God's seed "remains in him." (1 John 5:17, 3:9) This means that a true child of God does not live a lifestyle of sin. Instead, through the help of divine power implanted in them, God's child lives righteously by mirroring the spiritual qualities of their Father in heaven.
Does your righteousness reflect the righteousness of your Father? Let us see some of the traits of Yahweh's righteousness and a few of their associated commandments:
Justice
Yahweh loves righteousness and justice, which are the foundation of His throne (Psalm 33:5, 89:14). Justice is fairness, and the truthful administration of what each person deserves without partiality or prejudice, whether it be at one's home, workplace, or at the court of law.
God's commandments on justice: "Keep far from a false charge, and don't kill the innocent and righteous: for I will not justify the wicked." (Exodus 23:7)
"You shall not deny justice to your poor people in their lawsuits." (Exodus 23:6)
"You shall not follow a crowd to do evil; neither shall you testify in court to side with a multitude to pervert justice." (Exodus 23:2)
Loving Kindness
Yahweh shows "loving kindness to thousands of those who love [Him] and keep [His] commandments." (Exodus 20:6) He "doesn't retain his anger forever, because he delights in loving kindness." (Micah 7:18) "Loving kindness" is translated from the Hebrew word "chesed," which has no equivalent English translation. Chesed means love, kindness, grace, goodness, and mercy, all wrapped in one.
To know Yahweh is to know love, for "God is love." (1 John 4:8). The children of God are to "love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God, and knows God. He who doesn't love doesn't know God, for God is love. By this God’s love was revealed in us, that God has sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son as the atoning sacrifice for our sins. Beloved, if God loved us in this way, we also ought to love one another. No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God remains in us, and his love has been perfected in us." (1 John 4:7-12)
God's commandments on love, kindness, and mercy: "He who shows mercy, [let him do so] with cheerfulness." (Romans 12:8)
"Let love be without hypocrisy. In love of the brothers be tenderly affectionate one to another; in honor preferring one another." (Romans 12:9-10)
"Repay no one evil for evil. Don't seek revenge yourselves, beloved, but give place to God’s wrath. For it is written, 'Vengeance belongs to me; I will repay, says the Lord.' Therefore 'If your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in doing so, you will heap coals of fire on his head.' Don't be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." (Romans 12:17, 19-21)
"Owe no one anything, except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law. For the commandments, 'You shall not commit adultery,' 'You shall not murder,' 'You shall not steal,' 'You shall not give false testimony,' 'You shall not covet,' and whatever other commandments there are, are all summed up in this saying, namely, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' Love doesn't harm a neighbor. Love therefore is the fulfillment of the law." (Romans 13:8-10)
"As you would like people to do to you, do exactly so to them. If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. If you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive back as much. But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing back; and your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High; for he is kind toward the unthankful and evil. Therefore be merciful, even as your Father is also merciful." (Luke 6:31-36)
"Finally, be all like-minded, compassionate, loving as brothers, tenderhearted, courteous, not rendering evil for evil, or insult for insult; but instead blessing; knowing that to this were you called, that you may inherit a blessing." (1 Peter 3:8-9)
Truthfulness
As a "God of truth," it is impossible for Yahweh to tell lies (Isaiah 65:16; Titus 1:2). Truthfulness should be expressed in both words and deeds, not simply in the avoidance of speaking lies.
God's commandments on truthfulness: "Therefore putting away falsehood, speak truth each one with his neighbor." (Ephesians 4:25)
"Let him who stole steal no more; but rather let him labor, working with his hands the thing that is good, that he may have something to give to him who has need." (Ephesians 4:28)
"Never carry two sets of weights, a heavier one and a lighter one. Never have two kinds of measures in your house, a larger one and a smaller one. Use accurate and honest weights and measures. Then you will live for a long time in the land that the Lord your God is giving you. Everyone who uses dishonest weights and measures is disgusting to the Lord." (Deuteronomy 25:13-16, GW)
"[Put away] all wickedness, all deceit, hypocrisies, envies, and all evil speaking." (1 Peter 2:1, WEB)
Diligence
As Yahweh never gets tired or needs to rest, He is constantly working, even on the Sabbath, His sanctified day of rest (John 5:17). While humans are designed to rest, we are to work with diligence whenever we do labor.
God's commandments on diligence: "Give diligence to present yourself approved by God, a workman who doesn't need to be ashamed, properly handling the Word of Truth." (2 Timothy 2:15)
"I command you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at his appearing and his Kingdom: preach the word; be urgent in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with all patience and teaching. [Be] sober in all things, suffer hardship, do the work of an evangelist, and fulfill your ministry." (2 Timothy 4:1-2, 5)
"If anyone will not work, neither let him eat. For we hear of some who walk among you in rebellion, who don't work at all, but are busybodies. Now those who are that way, we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread." (2 Thessalonians 3:10-12)
"If anyone serves, let it be as of the strength which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen." (1 Peter 4:11)
Faithfulness
Yahweh does all of His works in faithfulness; His faithfulness "reaches to the skies" and "endures forever." (Psalm 33:4, 36:4, 117:2) Faithfulness is loyalty and reliability. One who is faithful can be trusted and depended upon by others.
God's commandments on faithfulness: "You shall not commit adultery." (Exodus 20:14)
"[It] is required of stewards, that they be found faithful." (1 Corinthians 4:2)
"If anyone doesn't take care of his own relatives, especially his immediate family, he has denied the Christian faith and is worse than an unbeliever." (1 Timothy 5:8, GW)
Peace
Those who love Yahweh's law "have great peace. Nothing causes them to stumble" because Yahweh is a "God of peace." (Psalm 119:165; Romans 15:33, WEB) Godly peace is translated from the Hebrew word "shalom," which also does not have an equivalent English translation. Shalom is a rich word that encompasses tranquility, wellness, favor, completeness, soundness, and harmony. Essentially, it describes a state of complete serene wellbeing that can only be granted by Yahweh and experienced by His children who live by His laws and who have been justified through faith in Christ (Romans 5:1).
God's commandments on peace: "Never worry about anything. But in every situation let God know what you need in prayers and requests while giving thanks. Then God’s peace, which goes beyond anything we can imagine, will guard your thoughts and emotions through Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:6-7, GW)
"Depart from evil, and do good. seek peace, and pursue it." (Psalm 34:14, WEB)
"If it is possible, as much as it is up to you, be at peace with all men." (Romans 12:18)
Self-Control, Gentleness, and Patience
Yahweh is "a merciful and gracious God, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness and truth, keeping loving kindness for thousands, forgiving iniquity and disobedience and sin; and that will by no means clear the guilty." (Exodus 34:6-7) To be patient toward others, one needs to be self-controlled and gentle, mild and meek.
God's commandments on self-control, gentleness, and patience: "[The] end of all things is near. Therefore be of sound mind, self-controlled, and sober in prayer." (1 Peter 4:7)
"The Lord’s servant must not quarrel, but be gentle towards all, able to teach, patient, in gentleness correcting those who oppose him: perhaps God may give them repentance leading to a full knowledge of the truth, and they may recover themselves out of the devil’s snare, having been taken captive by him to his will." (2 Timothy 2:24-26)
"We exhort you, brothers, admonish the disorderly, encourage the fainthearted, support the weak, be patient toward all." (1 Thessalonians 5:14)
My friends, God our Father has shown us what is good. Now the question is: "What does Yahweh require of you, but to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?" (Micah 6:8) Do you meet the requirements of God, and thereby can be called a child of God?
If not, then study Yahweh's qualities in the Bible, ask Him to conform you to His glorious image, and cultivate the virtues He bestows upon you, so you can be the child He intends you to be!
As the apostle Peter said, "Make every effort to add integrity to your faith; and to integrity add knowledge; to knowledge add self-control; to self-control add endurance; to endurance add godliness; to godliness add Christian affection; and to Christian affection add love. If you have these qualities and they are increasing, it demonstrates that your knowledge about our Lord Jesus Christ is living and productive. If these qualities aren't present in your life, you’re shortsighted and have forgotten that you were cleansed from your past sins. Therefore, brothers and sisters, use more effort to make God’s calling and choosing of you secure.
"If you keep doing this, you will never fall away. Then you will also be given the wealth of entering into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." (2 Peter 1:5-11, GW) Amen!
~*~Q&A with Dr. Shirley~*~
Question: Jesus told his disciples, "Seek first God’s Kingdom, and his righteousness; and all these things [food and clothing] will be given to you as well." (Matthew 6:33, WEB) How can we seek God's Kingdom and His righteousness first?
Answer: To seek Yahweh's Kingdom above everything else, we must live by His will, principles and precepts in both attitude and actions. Specifically, here's how:
a) First, one has to receive Jesus as their personal Savior and Master. This is the ultimate will of God for everyone, as He "desires all people to be saved and come to full knowledge of the truth." (1 Timothy 2:4) When one accepts the Gospel of Christ, one spiritually enters the Kingdom of God, wherein they will physically reside after humanity's future resurrection of the righteous.
The Gospel message is quite simple:
Yahweh God Almighty our Creator and Life-Giver hates all sins, and every person is a sinner with no exception, so all deserve God's eternal wrath and condemnation. We all are hopelessly doomed. But wait, this is where God's pure grace kicks in: He has made provision for everyone's forgiveness through His Son Jesus Christ. Once a person comes to trust in Jesus alone as their Lord and Savior for their salvation, believing that he is the Son of God who came to Earth, died for our sins, was buried, resurrected on the third day, and ascended back to heaven, God will forgive that person of all their sins, impute Jesus' righteousness on them, and give them the Holy Spirit that helps them live a whole new life that's pleasing to God. Then in the future, all True Christians will be resurrected whereupon they will live forever with God and Jesus. On the other hand, those who willfully reject Jesus as their Lord and Savior will also be resurrected, but they will be judged and then sentenced to eternal death, with no chance of a resurrection ever again. Without accepting Jesus when given the opportunity, every person is lost, helpless, hopeless, and destined to eternal death.
Believing in Yahweh and His Son Jesus Christ and walking according to Yahweh’s will is the only way to salvation (eternal life) for anyone who believes. Each person's eternal destiny is up to that person. Each of us has one decision to make: eternal life or eternal death? This decision is the most important decision we'll ever make, as it determines our eternal destiny. We mustn't delay in deciding, for upon our passing or when Jesus returns (whichever comes first), the door of opportunity for us to decide and repent will close.
However, believing in God is the easy part; loving Him is the hard part. Only when we love God will we have the desire to live according to His will. The Demons believe in God and they shudder (James 2:19), but are they going to receive eternal life? No, unless they sincerely repent. Regardless of the sins we have ever committed, if we repent and believe, we will all be saved.
b) Once a person has accepted the Gospel, they will need to live by Yahweh's principles and precepts. Simply believing in Jesus is not enough; one will not enter God's Kingdom with the faith of demons. Note what Jesus said: "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven; but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven." (Matthew 7:21)
When God's Kingdom is our number one priority, we ought to do our best to live according to Kingdom principles taught by Jesus Christ, who will be God's appointed King for 1000 years. For instance, when Jesus Christ told us to forgive others, we should obey. When He commanded us to honor our father and mother, we should do according to His commandment, which is Yahweh's commandment. When we break any of God's laws, we must quickly confess to God of our sin and ask for His forgiveness.
c) Living by God's Kingdom principles and precepts includes fulfilling the Great Commission to spread the Gospel to the uttermost parts of Earth. We need to take up the Great Commission as part of the duties of Kingdom residency. We can and should spread God's Gospel through both active and silent witnessing, such as exhibiting a Kingdom attitude. Such an attitude is mild, gentle, meek, and loving. In other words, we are to aim to have the humble attitude of Christ. This development of Christ-like nature is done by God, so we need to constantly ask God to bear this fruit in us.
d) Finally, we must make God's Kingdom our main prayer focus. Jesus taught us to pray, "Let your Kingdom come. Let your will be done, as in heaven, so on earth." (Matthew 6:10) This should be our main concern for not only ourselves but all of humanity, past, present and future, for it's only when God's Kingdom comes will all darkness, suffering, and evil end, forever.
In doing these four steps, we will be actively seeking God's Kingdom and righteousness first. Then in the future, all of our needs and godly desires, and beyond, will be met by Yahweh and Jesus.
If you'd like to know God's Kingdom principles, by all means e-mail me and we'll discover them together!
May the grace and peace from Yahweh God and Jesus Christ be with you.!
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Best regards,
Dr. Shirley Cheng
Award-Winning Author with 27 Book Awards
Founder of Ultra-Ability Ministry
Proclaimer of Yahweh God's Good News of Salvation through Jesus Christ
Author/Contributor/Editor of 35 books by age 27, Bible Teacher, Poet, Motivational Speaker, Self-Empowerment Expert, Advocate
Board member of World Positive Thinkers Club
http://www.shirleycheng.com
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